{"id":44413,"date":"2020-10-12T18:57:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T18:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/?p=44413"},"modified":"2026-03-31T17:15:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:15:32","slug":"why-cant-i-sleep-4-tips-for-better-rest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/why-cant-i-sleep-4-tips-for-better-rest\/","title":"Why Can\u2019t I Sleep? 4 Tips for Better Rest","content":{"rendered":"\n

In the latest Mindful Live<\/a> session, Michelle Maldonado discussed resilience for divided times<\/a>, and how that translates to our sleep patterns, with Mindful<\/em>\u2019s editor-in-chief Heather Hurlock<\/a>.  While answering a question from the webinar audience about dealing with ruminative states of mind before bed, Maldonado offered these four tips for better sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/465497947\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4 Ways to Sleep Through the Night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Clear Your Mind Before Bed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unattended thoughts can percolate and \u201chum right below the surface\u201d Maldonado says, exhausting our energy and making us even more tired. Regardless of what you do or think about all day long, if you take a few minutes to meditate before you go to bed, you\u2019re allowing your mind to let stuff out. Maybe instead of meditating, you\u2019d rather put pen to paper and journal about your thoughts. No matter what you choose to do, give your mind some time to dump.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Try a Body Scan Meditation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you do get into bed, Maldonado recommends a body scan meditation that can help you ease into quality, deep sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this guided body scan meditation<\/a> to help wind down before bed. You may even find yourself drifting off to sleep before finishing the practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Listen to Your Body<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While trying to sleep, you may feel something so intense that you have to get up. It\u2019s normal to put off having to get up in the middle of the night because we know that it sends awake signals to the body. \u201cBut sometimes you have to do that, too,\u201d Maldonado says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we hold ourselves back, and force ourselves to stay in bed, we spend a lot of energy<\/a> and time fighting the urge to get up. Whatever your body needs, give it that support and allow for it to dissipate if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Activate Your Parasympathetic Nervous System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you wake up in the middle of the night or can\u2019t get to sleep, you may consider turning to a type of breathing that helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system\u2014”the part of the nervous system that helps calm the body,\u201d Maldonado says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this breathing exercise, your exhale is longer than your inhale. For the inhale you can follow a count of your choice, and for the exhale you double that count. It could be four and eight or five and 10. Choose a breathing count that you\u2019re comfortable with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Breathing Practice to Activate the Vagus Nerve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Find a comfortable position<\/strong>, sitting on the side of your bed or lying down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Start breathing in<\/strong> for five, four, three, two, one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Breathe out slowly<\/strong> for 10, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. You can repeat this sequence<\/strong> as many times as you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOftentimes what happens is that [the breathwork] activates the vagus nerve.\u201d Maldonado says. \u201cThe vagus nerve wanders through the body and touches a lot of organs, reaching from the base of your skull all the way down to your colon. So it’s all over and it’s attached and infused to the parasympathetic nervous system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

read more<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mindfulness\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDigital Guides\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tThe Ultimate Guide to Mindfulness for Sleep<\/a> \t\t\t\t<\/h6>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tSufficient sleep heals our bodies and minds, but for many reasons sleep doesn\u2019t always come easily. Mindfulness practices and habits can help us fall asleep and stay asleep. Consult our guide to find tips for meditation, movement, and mindfulness practices to ease into sleep.\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/span> \"\"<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t